Heroin Detox at Banyan Detox Center

Heroin Detox

Heroin is a well-known opiate that has lured many people into its deadly grip. Its promise of highly addictive euphoria knows no boundaries of class, race or gender. It has resulted in the death of a number of celebrities and countless other people. According to the United Nations Office, an upwards of 14 million people reportedly consumed heroin in 2016 alone. Even with these staggering numbers, we here at Banyan Detox believe that with the proper detox method, the mental and physical dependence can be conquered.

What is Heroin Detox like?

The symptoms of heroin withdrawal can begin within 6-12 hours of the last dosage. The drugs move through the system quickly making the body need replenishment. In turn, the detox process continues each day that the body goes without heroin. After about three to four days, the symptoms are usually at their worst. For someone with stronger dependencies, the symptoms can be more severe and the withdrawal peak may be delayed.

Generally, after a week, the worst of the physical detox is usually over, although symptoms can persist for longer. One can expect to experience many, if not all of the following symptoms during withdrawal:

Moodiness, depression, anxiety, fear

Strong drug cravings.

Stomach cramps.

Fever and Chills.

Sweating, runny nose, watery eyes.

Nausea and vomiting.

Increased heart rate and blood pressure

While these symptoms may be extremely uncomfortable, they are usually not life-threatening.1

What are some of the challenges during Heroin Detox?

The difficulty that addicts face when trying to stop using heroin independently is that the cravings, combined with the pain experienced during withdrawal, become too much to tolerate. More often than not, this causes an addict to relapse, simply so they can alleviate their discomfort.

While heroin addicts are still likely to experience some symptoms of detox even while attending a rehab program, the added support and medical monitoring leads to better success, since they are no longer forced to overcome it all alone.

The reason people may begin to use heroin in the first place is due to unresolved emotions. They use the drug to “check out” of their grief. At Banyan, we address this issue through counseling, giving support to deal with what may have led to using heroin in the first place.

Another issue is that when someone tries to stop independently, the cravings combined with the pain from withdrawal, can be so intense, that it can be too much to tolerate alone. At Banyan we combine medication and counseling to ensure maximum support.

Heroin is habit- forming. Not just psychologically, but physically. Detox is essential for recovery.

What are my options for Heroin Detox?

When it comes to options on detoxing from Heroin, there are not many. People who attempt to detox from home are rarely successful due to strong cravings, lack of proper medication, and can encounter many medical complications. The safest option for Heroin Detox is use a medically supervised detox program, like Banyan Detox.